


Into the Fire

by loki_dokey



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)
Genre: Adventure time with the #SpaceGays, M/M, Slow Burn, Spoiler alert for the Last Jedi, Stormpilot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2019-02-16 18:20:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13059537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loki_dokey/pseuds/loki_dokey
Summary: In which the Resistance is not tracked through lightspeed and make it to Crait unharmed. Poe is then tasked by Leia to recruit new pilots for the Rebellion's fight against the First Order. Feeling like he’s being used as some kind of skivvy, Poe makes it very clear - to anyone who asks - that he’s not impressed. Leia also believes that a certain ex-Stormtrooper could do with the experience of working alongside him. However, Poe’s not exactly complaining about that.





	1. Deliver Us

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Stormpilot fic so...go easy on me! I have a deep love running through my veins for these two and I cannot wait to carry on writing them. 
> 
> It will be a slow burn but it will be worth it, I promise ;-) 
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments! <3
> 
> (P.S. Find me on tumblr @loki-dokey)

As he gazed out onto the sparsely populated hangar, Poe Dameron - alleged ‘Best Pilot in the Resistance’ - couldn’t bring himself to do anything but clench his fists tightly and mutter under his breath about the shittiness of it all. He was grounded, and this time it wasn’t for disobeying orders. Leia had been very clear that they would _not_ be pursuing the First Order because apparently they didn’t have the manpower. Poe had huffed at that; they were more than a match for the damned First Order! Rolling his eyes, he turned away from the air dock and groaned, leaning back against the rusted railings. He sighed. He knew he was kidding himself and that, truthfully, the General was right. Their resources were running low and they had lost too many in the attack on Starkiller Base.

Put simply, Poe just wasn’t okay with doing _nothing_. He felt helpless, hopeless and downright useless. Over the past week, he had taken to wandering aimlessly around the base, searching for a purpose. He had given up fighting with Leia and trying to convince her to send out scouts for a recon of the First Order. He knew he was wrong trying to go against her - it wasn’t like he didn’t see the looks he got every time he stormed out of the command centre. He’d heard the multiple whispers that a demotion was headed his way. Despite knowing that he would have to probably commit some hideous crime before Leia even considered demoting him, eventually Poe bit his tongue and accepted the General’s decision.

In his aimlessness, he found himself visiting Finn in the infirmary to keep the poor kid company. He hadn’t woken up since his run-in with Kylo Ren’s lightsaber and, for Poe, getting to sit and talk Finn through his coma gave him at least some kind of purpose. Poe made his way from the docking bay to Finn’s bedside within minutes and slowly lowered himself into the familiar chair that didn’t do much for his back. He snatched a pillow from the cupboard behind Finn’s bed and propped it at the back of the chair, settling into it with a deep yet contented sigh.

“Hey buddy,” he began, a longed-for warmth finally spreading across his chest. Finn seemed so peaceful, no idea what was happening in the world beyond his hospital bed. There was something about that naivety which made Poe envious. He silently wished that he too could sleep all the bullshit away. As quickly as it came, he shook the feeling and proceeded to continue with where he had left off the last time he’d been at Finn’s side. He had been telling his sleeping friend all about where he had grown up, as he assumed Finn had never seen a jungle quite like the one you’d find on Yavin 4. No one he’d met usually had.

*

“Poe? Poe. Wake up.”

With a grunt, Poe jerked awake. For a moment he was filled with bliss - Finn?! As his eyes adjusted to the brightness of the hospital room, his heart sank when he spied his second - Sana - squatting in front of him with a smirk playing on her lips.

“Did I fall asleep?” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

“Yeah, dumbass. Slept right through the General’s daily briefing.”

A pause. A swallow. “Well shit.”

“Mmhmm.”

Slowly, Poe righted himself in the chair and yawned. “Oh well. Not like it’s any different from every other damn day.”

At this, Sana silently stood. She glanced over her shoulder at Finn on the bed.

“And how’s _he_ doing today?”

“No different than usual too, I guess.”

This appeared to be the wrong thing to say. Sana’s face turned sour. She folded her arms and crossed to the other side of the room, staring at the wall.

“And so you missed the General’s briefing for _him_ ?” She span around. “Even though you know _both_ won’t change for now, you chose this Stormtrooper defect over our cause?” She seemed to spit the words at Finn. Poe was instantly on his feet.

“Watch your mouth, Lieutenant. You know what he's done for us,” he hissed. Though, in spite of himself, Poe knew where this was coming from and could hardly blame her. Sana’s parents had been executed by Stormtrooper forces only months before. Yet that didn’t mean he would allow her to take out her anguish on Finn, who was a hero to the Resistance in his own right. A hero to the Resistance and a hero to Poe.

Finn wasn’t going to be everyone’s favourite, Poe knew that. There would still be those who would find it extremely hard to trust someone who had been in the First Order.

“Just don’t go shirking your responsibilities for someone like him,” Sana snapped before turning tail and stalking out of the door.

“Yeah, thanks for the advice!” he shouted after her, frowning deeply. He looked behind him at Finn, still sleeping soundly, and chewed on the inside of his cheek. This kid should have a statue erected of him or something for what he had done to help the Resistance. Sana and others would soon truly understand what he had done for them. The wounds of the First Order ran deep, however, but whilst someone like Finn might sting at first, they would come to know that he was good for them. Poe knew all the good the kid had done. Thinking back to the statue idea, he wondered if they’d build it with Finn wearing his leather jacket. Poe bit down on his lip. Yeah, he’d sure like to see that.

*

When the time finally came for Poe to leave, he stretched and opened the door only to gasp and stumble backwards. Leia was standing before him, hand outstretched as though reaching for a handle. Her eyebrow quirked up at the sight of him.

“Poe?” She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Poe was stuck to the spot in the centre of the room, eyes glancing between both his General and his sleeping friend. “What are you doing here?”

“I come here sometimes,” he shrugged, beginning to sweat, “to make sure he’s okay.”

Leia chuckled. “He’s in the best hands here, Commander. Our military doctors have seen people through far more terrible things in the past. Finn will be just fine.”

Poe nodded, swallowing around a large lump that had formed in the back of his throat. Why was he so nervous about this? He felt like he’d been ‘caught in the act’, but what act he’d been caught in? He wasn’t so sure. Leia simply continued talking, filling the silence.

“I also visit on occasion.” She walked to Finn’s bedside and laid her hand upon his. “He’s a commendable young man to whom we owe a lot, but he’s also a valuable asset when it comes to the First Order. Having him on our side will give us particular advantages that we’ve never had before.”

Poe allowed himself to smile. Leia saw the good in Finn and _that_ would most certainly rub off on anyone who thought otherwise, eventually at least.

Another moment of silence passed between them. 

"You didn't attend briefing today," she said eventually. Poe stiffened. "I would expect the leader of my squadrons to be paying better attention to where he is meant to be. Setting an example. Understanding where the Rebellion is at this moment in time." 

Sinking into himself, Poe didn't really know how to respond. "I...I don't have any excuses, General." He straightened up. "It won't happen again."

"Mmm." Leia's eyes wandered to Finn. "Just don't let distractions make you forget the bigger picture."

"Never m'am."

At this, she smiled and met his gaze. "Though I do know one thing.  _Sometimes_ a little distraction isn't bad for the soul."

There was something in the way she said it that Poe couldn't quite place his finger on. A look in her eyes that made him ever so slightly unnerved. He merely nodded and frowned as she hummed and left the room, leaving Poe and Finn alone once more. 

*

It was extremely early one morning when haunting sirens rang out through the base. In an instant, and without even a thought, Poe was out of bed and on his feet. His blood ran cold with the fear of what the alarms could mean but deep in his heart he felt like he already knew. He tugged on his clothes and sprinted to the command centre which was heaving with seemingly hysterical officers and various crew. Pushing his way through the crowd, BB-8 now on his tail, Poe made his way to the General who had already begun a speech.

“Silence!” she barked, forcing a hush to fall across the room. Poe skidded to a halt before her, eyes wide in alarm.

“We have been compromised. The First Order flagship has found its way to D’Qar.”

A gasp whipped across the rebels. The sound that followed was deafening. Poe did not join in with the uproar; instead his knees grew weak and it felt as though a hole had been punched through his chest. Despite every precaution they had taken. Despite everything that they had put into place... 

They had been discovered.

“We must begin a full evacuation of the base,” Leia continued. “We do not have the power to put a stop to them here. If we remain on the planet, there will be no Rebellion to put a stop to them at all.”

“It is vital that we gather as many resources as we possibly can before we leave. I know this is all very sudden and I understand that there is going to be a widespread panic amongst us all, however we must go. And we must go _now._ ”

Chaos ensued. Leia shouted orders right and left, meeting Poe’s eyes only once before hurrying away. They were filled with apology and pain, things that Poe had never seen in her eyes, and never wanted to again.

He knew his orders. They’d put together an evacuation plan the moment they’d arrived on D’Qar. _His_ job was to get his squadrons to load their fighters onto the cruiser - the ship that would take the Resistance to safety and play home for a while. Nevertheless, the reality of the situation was only just sinking in. They had been found. How? Not that it mattered; the important thing was to get off-world as fast as possible. Poe dove through the scurrying crowds and located Sana, who was banding together the crews. Sometimes he wondered if she should just take his job. She often did it better than he did.

“Commander!” Shey stood to attention. The small pilot was deathly pale, with sweat beginning to bead across her forehead. “Lieutenant, Commander Dameron has arrived.”

Sana glimpsed over her shoulder and nodded. His second didn’t look much better than his pilot, but then again he assumed that he didn’t either.

“I was just gathering everyone to head down to the hangar,” Sana began, swallowing hard. “On your order, Commander.”

“Go! I’ll be down with you after I’ve spoken with the General. Get those fighters loaded onto the cruiser now!” The atmosphere in the room was growing more and more tense with each passing second. The noise of the mounting fear was almost unbearable and people were speeding in every direction. Sana gave another curt nod at him before ushering the pilots towards the elevators and with that, Poe pushed his way through to find  Leia.

“General!” he exclaimed, rushing in front of her as she addressed the council. He’d deal with the consequences of pulling that move later. “They’re going to fire on us at any moment. I’m surprised we’ve lasted this long without all hell breaking loose.”

“Dameron-”

“I can go up there and cause a distraction whilst we get our people out of here. I can keep them busy for just long enough for you all to-"

“Commander, I suggest you _stand down_ ,” T’Hara snapped from behind him. Poe winced. That iktotchi had always disliked him.“We have enough problems without your damn hero complex and desperation for glory to take into consideration.”

That stung. Poe had never sought to be a hero and he was insulted by the insinuation. He span to face the glaring council member, hackles raised, when Leia’s voice came quiet but firm from behind him.

“Sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures.”

“General, I appreciate that but you don’t seriously agree with this asshole that I-”

“Poe,” she continued, cutting him off and ignoring him. “A single light craft _could_ cause some confusion and stall things long enough to get everyone out of here. You’re an excellent pilot but still...you would be putting your life at great risk. We can’t lose you.”

At this, Poe felt his mouth creep up into a small smile.

“You’d never lose me,” he replied, winking. “I’m too good at what I do for that.” Leia offered him a small but weak smile in return and laid a hand on his shoulder. T’Hara rolled his eyes and tutted. Poe huffed out a laugh. A squeeze of his shoulder brought his eyes back to Leia’s.

“You’re like a son to me, Poe Dameron. Take your X-Wing and some of our bomber squad. Perhaps you can get a few hits on their flagship before we all jump to lightspeed.” She raised her eyebrows and prodded him in the chest hard. “And we are _all_ jumping to lightspeed. Don’t you dare do anything foolish up there.”

Now it was Poe’s turn to raise his own eyebrows. “Me? Foolish?”

T’Hara snorted from his position at the security console. Poe ignored him and opened his mouth to reply to the General when Vorys shoved his way between them.

“General, m’am, the First Order seem to have sent out some kind of interruption signal and it’s completely malfunctioned our equipment in the Medical Wing. We are losing patients at a horrific rate.”

The cold hand of fear crept up Poe’s spine.

 _Finn_.

*

Alarms were blaring as Poe sped down the hallways towards the infirmary. People bashed into him as they hurried in the opposite direction but eventually Poe made it to Finn’s room. As he took in the scene, his heart jumped into his throat and choked him. Wires sprawled out of machines and tangled themselves across the floor. The heart monitor ran on a single solid beep and Finn... he was nowhere to be seen. Shaking himself, Poe dashed out into the Medical Centre’s central hub and grabbed the nearest nurse he could find. She cursed at him as he shook her.

“Have you seen the kid? Finn? The kid who was in that room?” Poe desperately jerked his thumb towards Room 34. The nurse’s eyes were wide with terror and immediately Poe felt like a dick.

“H-H-He’s been taken ab-board the cruiser already! General Organa made it c-c-clear that he was a priority to board first!” she squeaked, pushing him away. “Now _please_ , Commander! I have dying patients to attend to!”

With that, she stole away to another room. Poe could have kicked himself but Finn’s safety was just so important to him. The kid had saved his freaking _life_ . Now it was Poe’s duty to keep _Finn_ alive. He owed him that much.

  
With the knowledge that Finn was as safe as he could possibly be in the situation at hand, Poe knew what he had to do. He raced to his room, which was as dim and pokey as it had always been, and began haphazardly shoving his belongings into a bag. There weren’t many of them; whilst Poe lived amid a mass of clutter, there were actually only a few items that held any kind of sentimental value. There were his Galactic Gogos, a collection of trading cards (that included all of the known races in the galaxy). Most had been gifts from his late father. The box they were kept inside had been a gift from his mother and it was encrusted with rare jewels from Yavin. There were also his books. He didn’t get to read often, but he whenever he did get a chance he would read the same books over and over again. His mother had always told him that there were countless books in the universe but, to Poe, he was happy with the familiarity of what he already had. 

BB-8 whizzed around him whilst commenting on the hideousness of their current situation.

“Yeah yeah, I’m _well_ aware. Hey, grab that book over there, won’t you?” BB-8 did as told and soon Poe was saying a solemn farewell to his room. So many memories shared and so many more that he would no longer share with the place. There was the corner where he always sat and read when he’d had the time. The bathroom that was falling apart where, after every mission, he’d wash off the sweat and dirt. And the bed that was surprisingly soft despite the lacklustre room surrounding it. It welcomed him every time he came home and...it had been where…

Poe stopped thinking and merely smiled to himself. He closed the door, BB-8 at his heels, and made his way to the hangar for the very last time.


	2. Changes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the kudos and the bookmarks guys :D
> 
> So far, this story has taken a lot of hard work and seeing as I'm new to writing these characters, I'm sort of feeling my way around them (I wish I could for real tho u get me?)
> 
> P.S. This chapter is loosely following the beginning of The Last Jedi.

The fight had been momentous. They had achieved so much in so little time. Seeing the enemy ship crumble under the power of the Resistance had been something that Poe would never, ever forget. However, as he flew his own ship into the cruiser, his heart couldn't quite cope with the emotions that were wringing it ever so tightly. His whole body was numb, the joints in his fingers gradually becoming more and more unresponsive. As he came in to land, he struggled to steady the craft, allowing it to shudder and fight against him because that was perhaps the least he deserved. He was in for it. Disobeying orders from Leia would not go unpunished.

But they had won, hadn't they? Perhaps not the entire battle against the First Order, perhaps not even against an entire fleet, but against a freaking _dreadnought_. That would definitely set the First Order back a few squares. Nevertheless, all of those pilots… But they had followed him, hadn't they? _They_ had heard Leia’s orders and defied them as well. _They_ had wanted to be on his team and _they_ had wanted to risk it all for the good fight, just like him. They had been fantastic individuals and Poe would ensure that the First Order would go down so their sacrifice would not be in vain.

When he finally came to a halt and the X-Wing hissed with relief, it took him some time to open the hatch. Inside the cockpit, he rubbed his chin and chewed his lip, ignoring the increasing heat and the undeniable stench of his own sweat. In a moment of inconsolable madness, he punched the panel - twice, three times - his knuckles bleeding. Good people had died under his command. No matter the brave choices they had made - they were gone. BB-8 whirred, the sound muted by the glass between them. Poe’s eyes moved slowly.

“I'll be okay,” he murmured to the droid, gaze immediately going back to his damaged hand. He clenched his fist, gasping at the pain, watching red blood ooze from the wounds. “I'll be okay.”

When the hatch opened, people were there to take his helmet and the rest of his flight gear. He yanked the helmet from his head and thrust it into the hands of Haddon, barely giving the kid a glance when usually they would high five and share their thoughts on the mission.

“You alright, Dameron?” Haddon asked, concern strung through his voice. He placed the helmet on the workbench beside them and folded his arms. Poe shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes.

“Yeah I'm just peachy,” he snapped. He hadn't meant to and he instantly felt like a huge prick. He clasped his wounded hand with the other to try and ground himself, which only caused him to groan and suck in a breath. Haddon raised an eyebrow.

“You did great out there, man.”

Poe laughed under his breath, shaking his head. “Tell that to my fucking conscience.”

[FINN-NAKED-LEAKING-WET]

Announcing this collection of unrelated phrases in the matter-of-fact way that droids do, BB-8 completely threw Poe for a loop. He looked away from Haddon to stare at his excitable friend.

“What? Finn? Wet? _Naked_? Beebee are you sure-” was all Poe managed before spotting exactly what BB-8 was going on about. Across the hangar, padding his way through the station hallway, was none other than his good pal Finn. Absolutely butt-ass naked.

“Oh shit!” Poe shrieked, bounding over a bending Jessika Pava as he raced to save Finn from himself. “Oh shit, oh shit!”  
The buzzing flight bay was difficult to navigate but eventually Poe was grabbing Finn by the shoulders.

“Finn?!” he exclaimed, shaking the man who seemed (and was hoped to be) exceptionally lost. “Finn, my buddy, are you supposed to be just wandering around here? Like...that?”  
It took Finn a few seconds to register Poe’s presence. His gaze travelled from the ground, all the way up Poe’s thighs and across his chest to finally meet his eyes. A look of confusion graced his face.

“...Poe?”

People were beginning to stare. The named man hurried them to the side of the hall and it slowly dawned on him that _Finn_ was _awake_. Finn was awake! As excitement crept over him, he rubbed his hands up and down Finn’s arms.

“I'm so happy you're okay,” he muttered, beaming. “Oh, Finn.”

Finn tilted his head to the side, blinking hard, and frowned. Gradually, he leant forward.

“Am I naked?”

*

Eventually, after a hazardous trip filled with whispers and wide eyes, they made it to Poe’s cabin. It was shiny and white and clean and Poe _hated_ it. It felt too alien. Poe liked earthy, used...a place that seemed alive. Finn gazed about, still coming around from his coma.

“This isn't the base.”

“No.”

“I can see _space_ out of the window!”

“Yes, you can, and we will talk about that after we get you in some new clothes. Here."

Poe tossed him some sweatpants and a shirt he'd found in his wardrobe and Finn suddenly unzipped and dropped the medical containment suit. Poe gawped as the man stood completely bare before him but Finn seemed entirely unphased by the situation as he picked up the pants. Poe swallowed hard before turning away. He ran a hand through his hair and shook himself but curiosity got the better of him. He slowly peered back around. The man's shoulders were broad and muscular, dark skin glistening in the too-bright lighting of the cabin. Finn straightened up and Poe slammed his hanging mouth shut, turning back to the wardrobe. It had been a long time since he'd had a naked man in his room.

“Uhh, here, I kept this for you,” he announced, fumbling over his words as he took another item out of the wardrobe. He passed it to Finn, who smiled as soon as he realised what it was.

“My jacket,” he said softly. Poe watched him run his fingers over the beaten leather. Finn found the stitching. “Sorry, I'm not a good fixer-upper when it comes to sewing.” He shrugged. “I tried my best. That lightsaber did a hell of a job on it.”

“Did a hell of a job on my back too. I can remember the pain…” Finn’s face contorted. “It was the worst thing I've ever been through in my life. The burning...I could smell my….my…” With that, Finn dropped onto the bed and stared at the ground. Poe rushed to his side, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

“Don't stress yourself out too much, pal. It's way too early for you to be working yourself up.”

“Wait!” Suddenly Finn was on his feet again, ignoring the entirety of what Poe had just said. “Where's Rey?! Is she okay?! Did she beat Kylo? Is she alive?!”

Poe shot to his feet. “Woah woah woah! Rey is fine.” He grasped Finn’s trembling hands tight. “She's fine, Finn. I promise. Slow your breathing, you're going to give yourself a freaking hernia.” Now cupping Finn by his cheeks, he brought him in for a hug. “She's gone to find Skywalker. She's okay. She's okay.”

They remained in a close embrace as Finn allowed the emotions to flood out of his system. Poe couldn't blame the guy; he'd awoken from a coma not knowing where he was, where Rey was… It was a lot for one man to cope with. For a while, they simply stood entangled together, Poe allowing himself to feel comforted over the loss of his squadron pilots and Finn allowing himself to gradually relax after discovering the truth about Rey.

“The Resistance,” Finn said after a while, leaning back, eyes searching. His hands clamped down hard on Poe’s waist. “Why are we not on D’Qar?”

Poe bit his lip. “The First Order found us.”

“Shit.” Finn stepped away, rubbing his eyes. “ _Shit_. How?”

Poe shrugged. “We don't know. Perhaps we’ll never know. But we jumped to another system while we were coming up to my room so hopefully we'll be okay for a while.”

Finn looked out of the window. “So it's all one big mess now, huh?”

Poe smirked. “Yep. And I'll be even more of a mess when the General’s through with me.”

“Oh?”

A nod. “Oh indeed.”

*

The smack was harder than Poe anticipated. He was glad for it; once again, something less than he deserved.

“How _dare_ you go against my orders?” Leia barked, raising her hand again. “You deliberately disobeyed me and cost us the lives of countless people. You went beyond foolishness, Dameron. You stepped into territory that I've never, ever deemed you capable of.

Poe stood there, hands clasped at his waist, taking it all. She was right.

“You're a danger to our cause.” Those words, however, he had not been anticipating. Poe almost choked.

“General-" He was cut off by Leia’s finger.

“No. I don't want to hear it.” She sighed and looked at him, head tilted. Her eyes were glassy and as she blinked, a solemn tear dripped down her cheek. “You're being reinstated. Sana will take charge of the squadrons and Pava will be her lieutenant. You…” She took a deep, quavering breath.

“Your position will be made clear in the following few days. Until you prove that you can follow my orders, no matter the consequence, I cannot have you as the commander of our fleet. The Resistance is in enough trouble as it is.”

All of a sudden, Poe felt as though he was in a bubble. The sounds of the cruiser and of Leia were distant and bleak whilst colour seemed to fade from everything. Every part of his being throbbed and twisted and his heart thudded faster and faster until he was sure it was going to break free from his chest.

“Leia?” he managed, the sound broken into fragments. Her hand found his cheek.

“I'm sorry, Poe.”

Poe turned and, suddenly feeling extremely sick, he stumbled to the door. Strong arms wrapped themselves around him as his vision blurred and, eventually, it disappeared altogether.

*

When Poe opened his eyes, it took him a long time to realise that he was in his cabin. He shuffled into a seated position, noticing that he was on his bed. Beside him, Finn was snoring loudly. Everything seemed very odd until the memory of his demotion punched him between the eyes. In an instant he stood and tossed the table, anguish penetrating each fibre of his being.

“Poe!” Finn yelped, grabbing his shirt and pulling him back onto the bed. “Oh Poe.” A hand rubbed his shoulder as he let out a sob, disbelief wringing him out.

“I thought I was doing the right thing,” he breathed, allowing Finn to grab him and pull him into his arms. “I fucked up, Finn. I fucked up big this time. I'm a disgrace.”

Finn said nothing. Somehow, this made things worse. There was nothing to be said; no excuses could be made.

Poe was no longer a pilot for the Resistance.

He didn't know how to be anything else.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thoughts shared in comments are much appreciated :) Xxxx


	3. Arrival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while. I've been super busy over the Christmas holidays! Should be updating more frequently from now on.

Bed was good. Bed was incredibly warm. The softness of the duvet and the malleability of the mattress made for a perfect place to reside for the day. Yes, this was an excellent decision. Poe hadn't opened his eyes at all but he knew that lunch must have been and gone. His empty stomach growled at him but he really couldn’t bring himself to listen to it. Opening his mouth to yawn, he blinked and then immediately regretted his choice, hissing at the brightness of the room. He threw the sheets over his head, burying himself more deeply into the bed. Suddenly, there was a furious, and far too loud, rapping at the door.

“Go away!” he shouted, begrudgingly cracking open an eye.

“I brought you food.”

“ _ Please _ go away.”

Silence. Poe wondered if perhaps he'd actually gone. He pouted a little.

“You haven't eaten in a day and a half.”

Poe pulled the covers from his head and groaned as the door slid open. Through squinted eyes he glared at Finn who stood in the doorway with a tray of cafeteria food in his hands.

“We’ll be on Crait in a few hours. You  _ have  _ to at least  _ try  _ to look less like crap.” 

“Whassitmatter?” Poe grumbled into the duvet before rolling onto his back. Finn offered a small smile and closed the door behind himself. He then crossed the room and perched on the edge of the bed. Poe watched him as he picked up a bread roll, tore it apart and began to butter it. He also observed the bread roll make its way towards his face. In defiance, he clenched his mouth shut but Finn proceeded to prod it against his lips. 

“ _ Poe _ .”

After the deepest sigh he could possibly muster, Poe opened his mouth. The roll was soft and sweet after having not eaten for a while and in a moment of absolute weakness he moaned slightly at the taste. Finn shifted. Poe opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow. 

“That's good bread,” he said through his mouthful, grinning. Finn nodded. Poe smirked.

“Yeah. Good bread,” the boy mumbled, standing suddenly. “You...you finish that, you hear me?” Finn span around. “It’s not easy getting second helpings. Particularly when people hate your guts.”

At this, Poe’s heart sank. Finn had already come to realise that the deeply ingrained hatred the Resistance held for the First Order would not be easy to reckon with. He pushed himself into a sitting position and took another bite of the roll. Finn smiled and shrugged. 

“It’s okay. Your friend Jess seems to have taken me under her wing.” He crossed the room and peered closely at Poe’s GoGo collection. “She's been asking about you.”

Poe sighed, opened his mouth to speak, but bit his lip instead. Finn picked up a card.

“I told her that you were organising yourself.” He inspected his find closely. “Obviously I didn't tell her you were holed up in here, smelling like bantha fodder, feeling sorry for yourself.”

Huffing, Poe clambered out of bed, his t-shirt riding up as he stretched massively. He couldn't exactly argue that - the whiff he caught of himself wasn't the most pleasant. With a yawn he shuffled over to the window to see Crait looming out of the darkness. He had only ever heard stories of the place as he’d grown up.

“Jess is a good kid,” he said, resting his forehead against the cool glass. “Thanks for having my back though. I'd rather my squad didn't know I was capable of being in this...well...state.”

“But you'd allow  _ me _ to?” 

Poe spun on the spot and cocked an eyebrow. “Hey! You pretty much forced your way in here. You have to pay the price if you want to come in here and stuff things in my mouth...” Finn coughed and dropped the trading card. “...Like bread.”

Finn stumbled about, desperate to pick up the card. Instantly Poe felt bad; perhaps he'd pushed his joke a bit too far. Finn hadn't been around people like Poe before and Poe needed to remember that. He really did.

“So that Sana girl. She really does  _ not  _ like me,” Finn chuckled nervously, placing the card back where he had found it on the shelf. The swift change of subject told Poe all he needed to hear. Finn had been raised as Stormtrooper - he’d probably never been flirted with in all his life.

*

An hour later, after a long and scalding shower, Poe emerged from his room. He had dripping curls but he also had clothes, which was far more than he could have said for himself before. BB-8 whirred into view within moments, having obviously picked up on his door module unlocking. 

“Hey pal.” Poe beamed, eyes crinkling up at the edges. “I'm sorry I've not been here for a little while.”

[You're-here-now] the small droid chirped, rolling around and around with happiness. Poe grinned wider. He really had missed his buddy.

[On-approach-to-Planet-Crait] 

Poe nodded. “I heard over the intercom. Twenty minutes right? Better get down there and see what’s what.”

With BB-8 at his heels, he strode down towards the bridge. He ignored every glance, every stare and every whisper. However, with every corner turned, his fists clenched tighter and tighter until he knew he was drawing blood. Just before he reached his destination however, Finn appeared looking anything but pleased to see him.

“What are you doing?” he hissed, yanking Poe to the side of the hall. “You're just going to upset yourself even more!”

Poe pushed Finn’s hand from his lapel, frowning. “I may have been demoted for a while but Leia still respects my opinion. I should be in there-"

Finn’s hands were on him again, this time shoving him against the wall. There was something in the roughness and speed of the movement that made Poe forget where he was for a moment. Shaking his head, he resumed his glare. 

“You have no right-"

“No,  _ you  _ have no right to be in there right now. The General has made it quite clear. She tasked me with keeping you in check.”

At this, Poe stumbled away, a cold sensation creeping through his veins. “I've been...cut off? What am I? The enemy now?” He spat the words with venom and volume, hoping that those through the door would hear his anguish. 

“The battle has left an open wound,” Finn eventually murmured, hand curling around Poe’s tensed arm. “You  _ know  _ that. Give it time to heal. Let General Organa realise that the Resistance is nothing without you. After all, you're the best pilot in galaxy right?”

Poe had heard enough. He felt sick to his stomach. 

“Finn...I'll see you on Crait. I'm going back to my room-"

“No.” The word was sudden, sharp and aggressive. The hand on his arm squeezed until it  _ hurt _ and, without giving Poe a moment to think, it dragged him down the hallway. Despite his numerous protests and expletives, he was tugged to an empty viewing bay and tossed into a seat. Finn towered above him, hands on his hips. 

“When I met you, Poe Dameron, you were  _ fucked.”  _

Poe gripped the arms of the chair. Finn pointed a large finger. 

“If it hadn't been for me, you'd have been wiped out by Kylo Ren. But yet when I found you, no one would have thought you'd have been so  _ fucked. _ ”

Poe gripped the chair harder. He was barely listening any more; there was sweat beading on Finn’s forehead and a vein bulging on his neck. 

“Because you're Poe freaking Dameron and you don't let things beat you down. Sure, you messed up, but you're not going to let it define you and allow yourself to hide away.” Finn crossed his arms. “ _ I  _ won't allow it.”

Poe licked his lips. “Oh? Won't you?”

This seemed to throw Finn for a loop. The angered demeanour faltered and he stepped away, turning to look out of the window. 

“You're more than this, Poe. You'll be back in action soon enough. At least you have a purpose. Something to look forward to. I...I'm just  _ present _ here. No job, no expectations. No cause.” He shook his head, shoulders rising and falling.

A weight settled itself on Poe’s own shoulders. With effort, he pushed himself from the chair and came to Finn’s side. His hand found Finn’s and grasped at it tightly. 

“Whatever happens, there's a purpose for both of us. We've made it through a lot together. We'll just keep making it through till we find it.”

When he looked at Finn, he was gazing out across the glinting atmosphere of Crait. His eyes were glazed over and the sunlight shone off of them, blinking back out into space with every rise and fall of his lashes. He shook Poe’s hand away, rubbed at his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Yeah. We will.”

*

The living quarters on Crait were a joke. Poe and Finn had gone their separate ways to be given their room assignments and Poe had since learnt that, due to spacing issues, he would be sharing his living space with someone. Someone who would likely be glaring at him from their bunk. Someone who would go whispering to their friends about his habits and probably even his choice of pyjamas because the Resistance  _ thrived _ on gossip. Particularly, he was certain, if it involved the newly demoted, disgraced leader of the x-wing squadrons. Room 281, the flimsy card read. Poe bit down hard on his lip as he lugged his bag towards the designated room. He saw the door, knowing that whoever was in there would be who he’d be shacking up with for a long while. 

_ Suck it up, asshole,  _ he muttered, throwing his bag down to the floor to find his keycard. Eventually he found it buried in the side pocket of his jacket and placed it between his teeth to pick up his bag. As he bent down, the door flew open. 

“Poe?” came a confused yet familiar voice. Poe glanced up and almost fell over in shock. 

“Finn?” he managed around the card. Spitting it out, he stood up straight. “What the hell are you doing here?!”

Finn tilted his head. “This...is my new room?”

Poe shook his head. “No no, this is  _ my _ room. 281?” He jabbed his finger at the door number.

Finn frowned. “ _ I _ was assigned 281.”

Silence. “Oh. OH! Well, howdy.” Relief flooded Poe’s system as he pushed past his gawping friend. The place was a shithole; it was  rusting and falling apart. The sheets covering the mattresses on the bunk bed made Poe want to throw up - the rust had dripped onto them over time and left large, circular brown stains. “Cosy.”

The sigh that followed the door closing was a clear indication that Finn disliked the space just as much as Poe.

“The guy who told me to come to this room said they'd be bringing round clean sheets and sanitation droids later. Guess we can just unpack things into the wardrobe for now?”

“Sanitation droids...right…” said Poe, licking his lips as he took in what else the room had to offer. It was pokey, and damp in places. A small, tattered armchair was tucked into the corner beside a dusty desk. There was barely enough space to stretch his arms fully wide. Finn was already rummaging through his small satchel and it took Poe a few moments to realise that every single item Finn owned was inside of it.

“You have  _ zero _ things to put in a wardrobe.”

“I have our jacket, thank you."

Poe huffed a laugh and shook his head. “No, what I mean is you have literally got no clothes other than what is on your person. Correct?”

Finn looked himself up and down. He shrugged. “Well, no.”

That very second, BB-8 rolled in through the door. It whirred around Finn, who had jumped at it's sudden entrance, and told him that it was very pleased to see him both well and dressed. 

“Hey BB-8,” the man laughed, unable to keep up with the spinning droid. Poe’s mouth opened to speak when he was suddenly cut off by a crackled voice over the intercom.

“Poe Dameron and Finn, please make your way to the command centre as soon as possible.”

A short silence passed.

“Wonder what that's all about,” Finn thought aloud, gazing up at the small speaker box in the corner of the room. “Sounds official.”

Poe grimaced. He didn't want to get his hopes up that perhaps Leia had forgiven him. That perhaps she was ready to reinstate him as commander. He couldn't do that to himself. “Well I guess we should get down there ‘as soon as possible’ and see what the fuss is about then.”

*

The walk to the command centre was gruelling. Once more, the whispers and stares were hard to ignore. He heard his name muttered on the breath of at least a dozen people by the time he arrived at the entrance. With a quaking fist, he knocked on the door. He could have thrown himself into the nearest canyon when T’Hara opened it, a snide grin on his face. Poe was only thankful that the prick kept his damned mouth shut for once. Finn followed swiftly behind and soon the door was closed. Leia stood with her back to them both, gazing out of the window at the white plains of their new home. Her aged hands were clasped behind her back and her hair was looser than Poe had seen it before.

“It’s been a very long time since I've felt the way I did after our last fight with the First Order,” she announced eventually. “I care deeply for all those under my protection, particularly those whom I regard as my son.” With that she turned around, eyes shining but form and expression firm. In that instant, Poe knew this was no reinstatement. In that instant, the repercussions of his previous actions culminated and came down upon him like a ton of bricks. Under his body, his legs felt like ribbons, almost causing him to drop completely to the floor. Leia’s eyes, filled with deep sorrow and disappointment, was one of the worst things he'd ever seen. 

“I am sending you on a mission,” she said, breathing in deeply. “If you undertake it and follow orders precisely, I will reconsider your position upon your return.”

A mission? But not as a x-wing pilot? Poe hadn’t done such a thing for the Resistance before. He was confused as Leia continued. 

“There is no doubt that you are gifted with a great deal of charisma, Poe. You are a hard-working, caring man. Therefore, your mission is to go out beyond this system and recruit more people for our fight against the First Order. You must also go and check in on our friends who are already allied to us.”

It was like a knife through the heart. Poe was  _ not _ a fetch-and-carry kind of guy. He was a fighter,  _ born  _ to be in the thick of it, not running errands to get a pat on the head. His pride was crumbling fast with each passing second.

“General, I-"

“You will take Finn with you. It will provide him with experience of the Resistance’s power and strengths and also enable him to learn from one of our best. You will be provided with a ship and an engineer.” It was all too much for Poe to bear. He was barely remaining upright as Leia paced the room. She suddenly stopped and stared him dead in the eyes.

“You leave tomorrow. I will send you both the mission file so you can read over it tonight to be ready.” She sucked in a breath. The shimmer returned to her eyes. Poe broke. “Don't let me down again.” 

“We won't, General,” Finn answered, and Poe was so grateful that it hurt. 

Leia nodded. “Good. Then I'll see you before you fly.” She looked from Finn to Poe. “That will be all, gentlemen.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Let me know in the comments what you think and what you expect from the next chapter! :-)


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